Rail connecting device



Patented Dec. 9, 1952 umrse STATES r 2 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in a railconstruction and is directed more particularly to the provision of arail connecting structure which provides a fiush joint at the abuttingends of the rails whereby not only pounding of train wheels passing overthe joint but also resulting damage to both wheels and rail areeliminated.

It is the principal object of my invention to provide a novel andimproved construction of the type wherein is provided a splicing meansadapted to be fitted into the ball or head of a rail at the abuttingends and there is the provision of means to permit expansion andcontraction of the rails.

One of the primary purposes of my invention is to provide structural andoperational improvements in devices of the class to which reference hasbeen made, which improvements provide important, distinct advantages instrength, durability, and the like.

It is another object of my invention to provide a reversible connectingmember for connecting adjacent rail ends together and for forming aneffective tread surface at the joint between the ends and for positivelypreventing the sagging of the rail ends under the weight of the rollingstock.

It is a still further object to provide a construction which will holdthe meeting ends of two track rails in more perfect alignment than hasheretofore been possible, which will prevent them from spreadinglaterally, shifting longitudinally, and raising vertically.

With the above primary object in view, it is another object of myinvention to provide a construction of the above described character. inwhich the number of operating parts is greatly reduced and which iscompact in accordance with the demands and desires of rail manufacturersand railroad operators alike, and which is not only distinctive in itsappearance and practical in its value but also reliable in its operationand efiicient in its use.

It is a still further object to provide a device which is constructed ofparts which are adapted to be readily assembled and which when onceassembled are positively and securely retained in operative relationshipand which cannot be accidentally separated from each other.

Other prime objects of my invention include: first, the securement of ahigher degree of accuracy in the manner of work performed therewith thanhas heretofore been possible with prior devices known in the art;second, the attainment of a greater ease in adjustment and repairs dueto its simplication in design and its unique composition of parts;third, the provision of a construction which may be readily installedwith respect to the various purposes for which it is intended; andfourth, the provision of such other improvements in and relating to railconstruction of the type above referred to as are hereinafter describedand claimed.

My invention also consists in certain new and original features ofconstruction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and claimedin conjunction with the annexed drawings which illustrate a certain formof embodiment thereof, which form is deemed preferable and is a specificdisclosure for the purpose of illustrating an embodiment of theinvention by way of an example since the same has been found in practiceto give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to beunderstood that the various parts of which the invention consists, canbe variously changed within the scope of the appended claims withoutdeparting from the broad aspects and spirit of the invention.

All of the above cited objects I accomplish by means of such structureand relative arrangement of parts thereof as will fully appear by aperusal of the description below and by various specific features whichwill be hereinafter set forth. To these above and other ends and withthe foregoing and various other features and advantages and objects ofmy invention as will become readily apparent as the descriptionproceeds, my invention consists in certain novel features ofconstruction and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto annexedand more fully described and referred to in connection with theaccompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the end of a rail of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the connector of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the ends of two adjacent rails incombination with the connector of my invention; and

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the device shown in Fig. 3.

In the following description and claims, various details will beidentified by specific names for convenience. These names, however, areintended to be as generic in their application as the art will permit.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail, in which similar charactersof reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures, andreferring more particularly to the preferred form of my inventionselected for illustrative purposes, I have shown a rail end of a rail at2 in Fig. 1.

The rail ends of the rails connected in accordance with the inventionare similar so that one only need be described in detail.

The rail 2 has an upper ball or head i and a lower flange 6 which areconnected by a vertical web 8 of less transverse width or thickness thanthe transverse width of said head.

A recess i2 is provided which extends inwardly from the end of the railend and downwardly from the upper side of the rail head. The rail end isprovided with a body portion H? which may have outer sides which areflush with the sides of the rail head.

The recess has parallel vertical sides it at the end of rail extendingto a point intermediate the ends of the recess and relatively convergingsides I8 extending said point to the inner end thereof forming a V.

Upper end portions of the body portion and rail head at the inner end ofthe rail end are disposed downwardly providing shelves 20 and shoulders22 at opposite sides of the recess, as shown.

Holes 37 are provided through the body portion of the rail end forbolts.

The recess terminates in a bottom IS disposed upwardly from the lowerface of the flange 6.

An elongated connector 30 has an intermediate portion and opposite endportions 33.

Opposite sides of the intermediate portion of the connector are disposedvertically and parallel to fit the sides [4 of the recesses of the railends.

Opposite sides of the end portions of the connector are verticallydisposed and in parallel for fitting the sides 18 of the recesses.

Ledges 36 extend outwardly from opposite sides of the intermediateportion of the connector and have lower seats for resting on the shelves20 of the rail ends between the shoulders 22.

The connector is provided with bolt holes 39 for registering with theholes 31 of the rail ends.

In connecting the rail ends the connector is inserted in the recessesthereof so that the ledges rest upon the shelves 20 and fills in thespaces between the shoulders 22.

Bolts 40 extend through the holes 31 and 39 of the rail ends andconnector which with nuts :32 and washers secure the parts together.

Preferably the overall length of the connector is slightly less than thelength of the combined recesses and the ends of the ledges 36 are out ofcontact with the shoulders 22 to allow for contraction and expansion inthe rails connected according to the invention.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departingfrom the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely asbeing illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of theinvention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by theforegoing description, and all modifications and variations as fallwithin the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appendedclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

1. Connecting construction for adjacent ends of railroad rails havingupper and lower horizontally disposed heads and flanges and verticallydisposed webs therebetween comprising in combination, the ends of saidrail ends provided with body portions of relatively greater transversethickness than the transverse thickness of said webs and having outervertical side faces disposed in substantial parallelism with thelongitudinal side faces of the heads of said rails and extending betweenthe heads and flanges thereof, said heads and body portions providedwith recesses having open upper sides and outer ends extending inwardlylongitudinally from the ends of the rails and having horizontallydisposed bottoms spaced upwardly from lower faces of said flange, saidrecesses having opposite vertically disposed sides with the said sidesbeing in parallelism from outer ends of the rails to a pointintermediate the ends of the recesses and then relatively converging toinner ends of said recesses, an elongated connector having oppositevertically disposed sides, intermediate portions and end portions of thesides of said connector being complemental to the sides of the recessesand said connector being insertable downwardly into recesses of the railends in aligned abutting relation thereof and having a lower faceresting on the bottoms of said recesses, said rail ends and connectorprovided with aligned openings, and bolts extending through saidopenings.

Connecting construction for closely adjacent ends of railroad railshaving upper and lower horizontally disposed heads and flanges andvertiually disposed webs therebetween comprising in combination, theends of said rail ends provided with body portions of relatively greatertransverse thickness than the transverse thickness of said webs andhaving outer vertical side faces disposed in substantial parallelismwith the longitudinal side faces of the heads of said rails andextending between the heads and flanges thereof, said heads and bodyportions provided with recesses having open upper sides and outer endsextending inwardly longitudinally from the ends of the rails and havinghorizontally disposed fiat bottoms spaced upwardly from lower faces ofsaid flange, said recesses having opposite vertically disposed sideswith the said sides being in parallelism from outer adjacent ends of therails to a point intermediate the ends of the recesses and thenrelatively converging to inner ends of said recesses, an elongatedconnector having opposite vertically disposed sides, intermediateportions and end portions of the sides of said connector beingcomplemental throughout their length to the sides of the recesses andsaid connector being inser-table downwardly into recesses the rail endsin aligned closely adjacent relation thereof and having a continuousflat lower face resting throughout the length thereof on the bottoms ofsaid recesses, said rail ends and connector provided with alignedopenings, and bolts extending through said openings, upper portions ofthe heads and bodies at the ends of the rails being depressed downwardlyfrom the plane of the upper face of the rail heads providing horizontalshelves, and upper ledges extending outwardly from opposite sides of theconnector for resting on said shelves.

ANGELO LORIO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,080,481 Riddle Dec. 2, 19131,472,157 Ellis Oct. 30, 1923 2,013,228 Anderson Sept. 3, 1935

